I've Missed You
by Elenhin
Summary: My experiment continues, telling the first few years of the Duke boy’s life together with one story from each year. This time someone missed someone else, and also, it is slightly different.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This is Bo and Luke's life together, from the first year Bo was with them, until when Luke leaves for the Marines, and one year after he gets back. It is all different events, but they allare tied together bymore or less the same phrase. I thought it might be fun to tell their lives together by something that keeps happening. This follows on the same line as 'It's Cold,' and some of the events are even similar with the ages. This time it is the ending phrase taht is the same, not the beginning.

Big thanks to Earendil Eldar for beta work.

**Warning**: _The warning is placed here for vinsmouse, who wanted a spew warning here, claiming it might be a bad idea to drink while reading the funnier parts. So please keep in mind that drinking any kind of beverage while reading this, might be hazzard'ous to the health of your screen. _

Disclaimer: The Duke Boys are not mine, I don't own the Duke boys, nor the General Lee. I promise that once I'm through with them, there will be nothing broken that a trip to Cooter's garage can't fix….

* * *

_**I've Missed You, Part One**_

It was really strange Luke thought, for once, for the first time in over six months he could play without having to listen to a baby screaming. He should really be enjoying himself. Only he wasn't. He found it very hard to play at all. Normally he would be complaining that the one year old boy was always in the way, and he was.

Why anyone wanted a baby was above him, and never mind that they told him he had been one not so long ago, he didn't buy that. There was no way he had been like that, screaming all the time, drooling and always being a real bother.

Babies were loud, annoying and disgusting. Just the other week Bo had smeared some of his food in his hair, and that was really disgusting. He would chew something, and then he would spit it out again.

Not to mention that sometimes he ate just to throw it all up again. No, no matter what they told him he wouldn't believe that it was the way babies were supposed to be. It had to be something that they told him just so he would feel better about the baby.

Sure Luke could feel sorry for it, it didn't have either a mommy or daddy, just like Luke. He was not so mean he didn't want it to have Uncle Jesse or Aunt Martha either. That would be to mean. Besides, if his uncle was right, then maybe it wouldn't be so bad once it got a bit older.

It was the time until then that worried Luke. He had thought that it would be much better if they could just keep the baby somewhere else until it grew a bit. It should be better when it was three or four, then he could at least play with it.

He had tried to convince them of that, but no one had listened to his logic, saying that they liked the baby, and he grew to fast as it was. That was not the whole truth, they claimed they could see how he grew, but he was still almost as tiny as he had been when he got there.

At times it was annoying how they always made such a fuss over the baby just cause it was smaller. He wanted some attention to, but at times it seemed as if they only had time for the baby.

That was why he had been so happy to hear that his aunt was going away for a few days to visit a friend of hers, it meant Bo would go with her. Since he was so little, and since it would be hard for Jesse to watch him while working, Luke had stayed though, and it meant he would have his uncle to himself.

He had really been looking forward to it for a long time. He had made plans to play some games with his uncle.

Then after the first day something very odd had happened. He missed his aunt, but there was something more as well. He was so used to having Bo around that it felt odd when he was not there.

He tried to play with his cars, but he didn't really want to. It just wasn't very funny.

When he told his uncle how he felt, he had smiled and told him that he was missing Bo, but he couldn't really, could he? How could he be missing the baby he wasn't really sure if he liked?

Then they were back and Luke ran outside to meet them. Throwing his arms around his aunt. After having been told how he had grown, and having heard his uncle tell that he really had been good, Luke even took the baby in his arms.

Bo peered at him with sleepy eyes, before he waved his arm and smacked Luke in the face. "Ow, that hurt." Luke told him, but he still couldn't be angry. "Ya know Bo, Uncle Jesse might've been right." He said thoughtfully. "I think I really did miss ya."

* * *

Luke idly pushed a toy car over the floor. He wasn't really playing, he was just trying to keep himself occupied. He hadn't felt too much like playing the last few days. His aunt had tried to cheer him up, but he just didn't feel like to much for it.

Bo was two years now, and Luke would normally say that he was just as much trouble as he had ever been. Just the week before he had tracked mud into the clean clothes.

Their aunt had been hanging the laundry, and she had put the laundry basket on the ground. Bo, had found a mud puddle, and after having played in it, he had made his way over to where she was, and crawled down into the basket with the clean laundry while Martha was busy hanging a sheet. When she saw what he was doing, it had already been too late. Bo had gotten mud on almost all of the formerly clean laundry.

She had not been happy about it, but she hadn't been too angry at Bo either, she had just picked him out of there and told Luke to watch him so that he didn't do it again.

See, that was a very annoying thing with the baby, when he did things he shouldn't do, Luke wound up having to watch him. It wasn't his fault that Bo was so much trouble, it really wasn't. He had warned them that babies weren't worth the trouble.

Then two days before Bo had really done it, he was always climbing on things, always. Luke had been in the other room playing when he had heard the crash, and the scream from the kitchen. When he ran in there he saw aunt Martha scoop Bo up from the floor.

He had climbed up on a chair, and then to the table, only to fall down and take the chair with him. Getting a cut just above the hairline. All that blood had made Luke terrified, and Bo had been screaming so loud that even their uncle Jesse had heard him outside and had come running in.

Then they had taken off to the doctor, everyone telling Luke that he didn't have to worry, and the doctor had even given him a piece of candy to cheer him up because he was so scared. He had told Luke he didn't have to worry, that he had put a few stitches in the cut and Bo was doing fine.

It was just because Bo was so little that he wanted to keep him there a little, to make sure that nothing was wrong. He said it was sometimes hard to tell, so just to be safe he didn't want Bo to go home just then.

It was strange, if Bo was fine, then why did they have to make sure? He wanted Bo to be fine, he liked him, he might even love his cousin, at least when he wasn't making a mess. No matter what though, he didn't want to see him hurt.

So no matter what they had told him he was worried. Now Bo would be home any minute though, So when he heard the car he ran outside. Jesse was holding Bo in his arm, and the child was smiling with his fingers in his mouth. Most kids Luke had seen was sucking on their thumb, but Bo had the middle two fingers on his hand in his mouth. He also had a big white patch of bandage taped to the hair line on his forehead.

Trust Bo to be smiling though, and reaching out his hands for a hug as soon as he saw Luke. Squirming around in his uncle's arms until he was let down. Then he went running straight for Luke.

Luke almost stumbled as Bo collided with him and threw his arms around him.

Luke knelt down a bit so he could hug him back. "I've really missed ya Bo."

* * *

Luke felt guilty, very guilty. It had all been his fault after all. Thanks to him they had nearly lost Bo forever.

Luke hadn't meant any harm, he had just wanted to be alone for a bit, and not have the three year old after him every step of the way. Bo was always trying to follow him. It just wasn't fun to always have him around where ever he meant.

When he told him to get lost he had just repeated what one of his friends had told his little brother, and he had gone home. Not Bo though, he did get lost.

Luke had thought he would get back to the farm so that he could chase the chickens. Bo was always chasing the chickens around the farm. No matter how many times he was told that he wasn't allowed to do it. No matter who told him that he couldn't do that. Bo just never listened.

Then he had gone missing. Luke really felt bad about that, and scared, scared that he would never see Bo again.

He would even be happy to scold him for chasing the chickens if it meant he came back again.

Everyone told Daisy and him that they shouldn't worry, that they would find Bo alright, but when they thought that the two children couldn't hear, the said that if they hadn't found Bo by now, there wasn't really much hope.

Luke wondered when they would tell them that, and when they would tell him that it was all his fault.

Then they came back to the farm, and they had Bo with them. He wasn't only alive, he wasn't even really hurt. He was a bit whiny, and at first he couldn't get hugged enough, but then he got a bit cranky from always being pulled up into someone's arms. All of them who had been searching for him was there, and everyone wanted to hold him to make sure he was okay.

Then they had put Bo to bed for a nap, and Luke had found out that his uncle wasn't as mad at him as he had though. He grew up a bit there he supposed, he realized that Bo didn't think the same way he did. It was strange, but he also found out how much that small boy with the blond wavy hair, and those sloppy wet kisses meant to him.

So when Bo was put in his bed, and fell asleep Luke lay down beside him. He lay there and stroked his baby cousin's hair. It was a bit girly, but he didn't care right now, it was Bo, and he loved him. He pressed a kiss to a cheek that was just so very soft. "Don't ever go away from me again, Bo." He said softly. "I've really missed ya."

* * *

Bo sat on a rock and looked down the road. He was only four, so he wasn't allowed to go very far, he didn't have to either. He had found a very good spot to wait in. He was waiting for Luke.

It was the first day of school after the summer, and Luke had been there.

From what Bo could tell by the way Luke talked about it, school could be fun, but it didn't sound like something he really needed. Luke told him that he had friends in school that he could play with during recess, but why would he need any friends? He had Luke, he couldn't possible need any more friends than that.

Luke was great, he looked out for him, he played with him, and then of course he got angry at him and yelled at him as well. Had even hit him a few times, but Bo didn't really care about that.

It didn't matter very much, because no matter what Luke would do while he was angry, he was the best cousin ever when he wasn't angry.

It had been really lonely when Luke was in school, not as if Bo was all alone, but lonely because Luke wasn't there. That was why he was waiting for him, because if it meant he got to see Luke one minute earlier than otherwise, then he was gonna wait for him there. He would have gone to the school to meet him, but that was further away from the farm than he was allowed to go on his own.

When Luke stepped down from the school buss he was nearly knocked over as Bo ran to hug him, throwing himself around his neck.

"Luke, I've missed ya."

TBC

Thank you all for reading, I'll do my very best to reply to all signed reviews, Elenhin


	2. Part Two

Author's Note: This is Bo and Luke's life together, from the first year Bo was with them, until when Luke leaves for the Marines, and one year after he gets back. It is all different events, but they allare tied together bymore or less the same phrase. I thought it might be fun to tell their lives together by something that keeps happening. This follows on the same line as 'It's Cold,' and some of the events are even similar with the ages. This time it is the ending phrase taht is the same, not the beginning.

Big thanks to Earendil Eldar for beta work.

**Warning**: _The warning is placed here for vinsmouse, who wanted a spew warning here, claiming it might be a bad idea to drink while reading the funnier parts. So please keep in mind that drinking any kind of beverage while reading this, might be hazzard'ous to the health of your screen. _

Disclaimer: The Duke Boys are not mine, I don't own the Duke boys, nor the General Lee. I promise that once I'm through with them, there will be nothing broken that a trip to Cooter's garage can't fix….

* * *

_**I've Missed You, Part Two**_

It was funny how so little time could feel like so long time, Bo thought. He wasn't sure just how long time it really had been though. He didn't have a watch. Jesse had told him that if he waited outside, then Luke would be there really soon.

It just felt like much longer to the five year old boy who was doing the waiting.

He didn't know why, he just felt a little lonely. It wasn't easy to always try and be as big as his cousin. Luke was big, everyone thought so. He was tall for his age, while Bo himself wasn't really. He wasn't short, he just wasn't very tall either. His uncle said he was average, but he wished that his marks on the door jamb would be more like Luke's.

Bo was really proud of his cousin, and maybe that was why he felt lonely while he waited. Or it could be because all the kids in this part of the school were all bigger than him, and he didn't really know any of them.

Still, if his uncle told him to wait outside there for Luke, then he would do that. He had climbed up to sit on the fence while he waited, that way Luke would see him he hoped.

When he heard some kids coming over he climbed up to stand on the fence instead, keeping his balance as he scanned the kids.

Catching sight of Luke he leapt down from the fence and started running towards him.

"Hey, kiddo." Luke greeted him as Bo skidded to a stop in front of him, completely breathless. "Why's the big hurry."

Bo smiled at him. "I've missed ya."

* * *

Bo tried to keep himself occupied on his own. Normally the six year old boy would have either been doing his chores, or played with Luke, but Luke was on a school trip. He had been gone for the entire weekend. 

It was lonely on the farm without him. Nothing seemed to be as much fun. He had been trying to find something fun to do the entire time.

He had tried to play every game he could on his own, but he needed Luke to really have a good time. He could come up with the best games.

Besides, it was rather hard to play ball when you only had yourself to play with. At least if you wanted practice passing the ball.

No, he couldn't wait to have Luke back again. Then they could go to the pond, or to the Indian Caves, they could go on a picnic all by themselves. If Luke was there, Bo could think of hundreds of things they could do, but if it was just himself, then he couldn't really think of anything.

He had even offered to do some extra chores just because he wanted something to do so badly.

After supper his uncle had given him a cookie and told him not to look so glum, because that wouldn't make Luke come back home any faster. That might be so, but Bo couldn't wait for him to get home anyway.

He had his ball and he was out on the yard, looking down the rode every other minute. Then suddenly he found himself hoisted high into the air.

"Now, where should I put this thing." He heard Luke say.

"Put me down Luke." Bo shrieked, there were thistles nearby, and it wouldn't be the first time Luke had dropped him downin those.

"Of course I will, I just need to find a good spot first." Luke grinned, pulling Bo over his shoulder. "The thistles or the dung heap. What do ya say Bo?"

"Put me down here." Bo tried to squirm out of his hold, but it was no use.

"Make me." Luke grinned, he loved teasing his cousin.

"Please Luke." Bo begged.

"Not until ya say ya missed me, and sound like ya mean it."

"I had no one to play with." Bo burst out. "Of course I missed ya."

* * *

Bo sped down the dirt road as fast as a seven year old can go on an old beaten up bike. He had been trying to pass the time until Luke would be getting back home from a scout camp. It had been so boring, and he had been so lonely, so he really couldn't wait for Luke to come back time. 

When he had asked his Uncle how much longer it would be before Luke got back one time to many Jesse had told him to take himself away from the farm a bit. Saying that if he took a short trip, then he would get back just about before Luke did.

Thinking that it would make the time go faster Bo had decided that it was a good idea. He had taken his bike to go to the pond, and it had been more fun that just sitting on the fence waiting.

He knew about how much time he had to spend, and he planned to make sure he would be back before Luke was. He didn't go very far, he just went around for a bit, and stopped whenever he saw something funny.

Then he started home again satisfied that his uncle wouldn't mind him asking just a few more times before Luke finally got back.

That was when the dang chain went of the bike, it had to happen when he was going down hill to. Luckily for him not a very steep hill, but enough. When he pushed down on the pedal, and all resistance disappeared, he became unbalanced and went straight into the ditch of the side of the road. Crashing down there with the bike coming down on top of him Bo lost his breath for a moment, then he started to untangle himself from the bike.

He was bruised and scraped, and his knees and palms hurt where he had cut them on the small stone. For a moment he just sat down to catch his breath, it was always a little scary to just fall over with the bike. It was one thing if he was doing something where he knew it could happen, but when it just happened while he was doing nothing, he didn't like that.

Then he realized he didn't have time to be upset about it all if he wanted to get home before Luke did, so he wiped the blood traces on his palms onto his jeans and straightened the bike up again.

He couldn't tell if it had gotten any more scratches, there was to many old ones for that. It was just the chain, and that was a problem. He knelt down beside it and tried to work the chain back on where it was supposed to be, but it was really tricky. The last time it slipped of, Luke had gotten it back on for him. Now he had to try and do it for himself, and it was not easy.

Struggling with it he wiped some sweat away from his forehead, obvious to the fact that he left dirty and greasy smudges there, the grease from the chain stung in the cuts on his hands, but he didn't really care. Luke would be coming soon.

He only paused when the chain pinched his finger, but he guessed that it was worth it, because that was when the thing finally slipped into the place where it was supposed to be. Putting his finger in his mouth to ease the pain he made a disgusted face, grease and dirt tasted awful.

Once more wiping his hands on his jeans he took of down the road, and a soon as he came up on the farm he could see that Luke was already there.

Jesse frowned as Bo came tearing in on the bike, seeing the dirt smudges, a torn knee on his jeans, and that was all he needed to see to know Bo had gotten side tracked into a ditch.

Upon seeing Luke, Bo came crashing to a stop, literally crashing to a stop as he jumped off the bike before he even hit the breaks. Before Luke knew it he had his cousin around his neck, and Luke spun him around just to keep his balance after the impact.

As if it wasn't obvious, Bo stated the fact. "I've missed ya."

* * *

Bo kicked at a pebble, angrily, very angrily. He was angry, or more like furious. Just because he was only eight no one believed him. It wasn't his fault, not the slightest. 

They had been playing baseball with some of Luke's friends, and it wasn't Bo's fault that they had lost, but Luke got angry and said it was. Some of the others had gotten angry as well, they said it was his fault because he was to little, and they shouldn't have let him play.

As if they would have won if he hadn't been playing.

They wouldn't, he knew that, but they were still angry at him. So Bo got angry as well, and when he yelled back because they were yelling at him, they got really angry and told him he was just a small kid, and to small to play with them.

Like if it was his fault he wasn't any bigger than he was.

He knew better than to take it out on anyone else though, no matter how angry he was, so when his uncle asked him what was wrong he didn't get angry at him. He just kicked another pebble out of the way, and told him how they had gotten all angry at him.

"It's not always easy being the littlest one." Jesse said to comfort him. "But you won't always be that Bo, and when ya older, there's other thing won't be easy either."

"I know that." Bo leaned in for a hug. "But I'm still mad at Luke going and blaming it all on me. It wasn't my fault."

"I know it wasn't." Jesse said as he hugged him.

"But Luke don't." Bo pouted. "Uncle Jesse, I don't wanna be with Luke right now, can I runaway, just a little. I could sleep in the barn. An' then he'd know I'm really angry at him for blaming me, an' if he wants me back, he can go an' tell me so."

Jesse had to struggle not to smile, the boy was asking for permission to run away, and he wanted to run away just a little. Well, he could see how the boy had been hurt by Luke's outburst. Running away would take his mind off it, and might teach Luke a lesson as well. Besides, it wasn't as if anything could happen to him out in the barn.

"Okay," he nodded. "I'll tell ya what Bo. Ya can run away as far as to the barn, and then we'll see what Luke says. Now, if ya gonna be gone for so long, we need to pack some things for ya."

He smiled at how eager the boy was. He helped him to carry out his sleeping bag and a blanket, and filled a small basket with some food for him. Bo made himself comfortable in the hayloft. It would show Luke that just because he was little that didn't mean he could be mean to him.

Luke took the point, especially after Jesse had a talk with him. So he went out to the hayloft to talk Bo into coming inside again. Only Bo thought it was so much fun that he didn't want to. He had a cozy corner there, and he wanted to sleep there.

Luke nodded. "You come inside if you get scared, okay Bo?" He asked, and Bo nodded.

"But I won't be scared." Bo told him confidently.

Then Luke went back inside, he didn't really like being alone in the room, but he fell asleep anyway.

He woke up when he heard the door open and watched as the small form of his cousin came into the room.

"Did you get scared?" Luke asked.

Bo shook his head. "No, I wasn't scared at all, but I missed ya."

TBC

Thank you all for reading, I'll do my very best to reply to all signed reviews, Elenhin


	3. Part Three

Author's Note: This is Bo and Luke's life together, from the first year Bo was with them, until when Luke leaves for the Marines, and one year after he gets back. It is all different events, but they allare tied together bymore or less the same phrase. I thought it might be fun to tell their lives together by something that keeps happening. This follows on the same line as 'It's Cold,' and some of the events are even similar with the ages. This time it is the ending phrase taht is the same, not the beginning.

Big thanks to Earendil Eldar for beta work.

**Warning**: _The warning is placed here for vinsmouse, who wanted a spew warning here, claiming it might be a bad idea to drink while reading the funnier parts. So please keep in mind that drinking any kind of beverage while reading this, might be hazzard'ous to the health of your screen. _

Disclaimer: The Duke Boys are not mine, I don't own the Duke boys, nor the General Lee. I promise that once I'm through with them, there will be nothing broken that a trip to Cooter's garage can't fix….

* * *

_**I've Missed You, Part Three**_

Luke had said he wanted to get some time alone to think, and when Bo asked their uncle about it Jesse had just smiled and said it seemed to be about some girl. He also told him that he should just let Luke be for some time. However the nine year old boy thought he had given his cousin plenty of time to think.

How much did you need to think about a girl anyway? If they were pretty you kissed them, and that was it. It really wasn't anymore complicated than that.

He hadn't seen where Luke went off to either, but he had been looking for him for some time now. He was tired of only having had his own company. So he had started looking for Luke. Going to all the places where he thought he might be.

It was stupid, he really couldn't find him, usually he knew where to find Luke, the same as Luke knew where to find him, but now he didn't have any luck at all.

Finally he had to give up and go back to the farm. It was hard to decide whether he should be glad or angry when he saw that Luke was already there. He pouted for a bit when Luke gave him a confused look.

"What's he matter with ya Bo?" Luke asked, a bit concerned about the look on Bo's face.

"I've been looking for ya all day." Bo stated.

"Why?"

"Because I've missed ya."

* * *

Bo sat with his elbows propped up on the window frame and sniffed loudly. His nose was either so blocked he couldn't breath, or so runny it didn't matter how often the wiped it.

He was looking out the window to see when Luke would be coming back.

Daisy was at a sleep over with some of her friends, and so Luke and Bo was going to sleep over at Cooter's place. He had been looking forwards to it ever since it was decided. He was only ten, and he had never really done that before, and it would have been so much fun.

Then because he caught a cold, Jesse wouldn't let him go. It wasn't fair that he should be made to stay at home. Still his uncle told him he had no business going anywhere as long as he had a fever, and there was no point in objecting when his uncle used that tone of voice.

Jesse had tried to cheer him up though, making him his favorite food for supper, he had also given him both lemonade and ice cream for his sore throat.

If you were sick, having uncle Jesse look after you wasn't really bad. It was just that Bo really missed going with his cousin, and he missed his cousin all by himself. Luke was great, he was the best older cousin anyone could have.

Now Luke should be home any minute again, and Bo sniffed again. He just wouldn't leave the window to get himself a handkerchief, and the one in his pocket was so soggy it was of no use anymore.

"Hey, there Bo, how are ya feeling now."

Bo looked up as Luke came in from the other door.

"Bout the same." He said. "Did ya have fun?"

"Yeah." Luke nodded. "And ya know what, Cooter said we could booth come over soon as ya lose that cold, how's that sound."

"Great, Bo grinned. Cause I've missed ya."

* * *

Bo stood with his arms over the fence, if he had been any older than eleven, he could have gone hunting with Luke and Cooter, he just knew it. Normally Cooter never thought he was to small, but they said that hunting could be dangerous. Maybe he could have talked Cooter into letting him come anyway, but not uncle Jesse.

He was very firm that even if the two older boys were going, Bo was not.

Cooter had given him a pat on the shoulder and told him he would get to come along when he was older. He knew Cooter wasn't just saying that to be nice, he meant it.

It just seemed like so very far away, when he got older. He got to hear that awfully often. That he would be allowed to do more things when he got older. There just never seemed to be something he was old enough for, well, he was always told he was to old for whining about it, but that didn't really count.

They had been gone since yesterday, and Bo still thought that it wasn't fair that he was always to little for that kind of things. He had been awake most of the night, because he was not used to being alone in the room, and now he was tired as well.

Then they came back, and Bo had to grin over the fact that they were empty handed. Obviously they hadn't gotten anything.

Cooter just laughed about it thought, he didn't care enough to get upset about it.

"So, what've ya been doing when we were gone?" Luke asked as he draped an arm over his younger cousin's shoulder.

"What do ya think Luke." Bo frowned. "I've missed ya."

* * *

Bo felt really good about sitting in the pick up truck, fitting snuggly between his uncle and his older cousin. They had picked Luke up after he had been away on a week long trip with the school.

It had been a very long and boring week at the farm. Except the chores there wasn't really a lot of things for him to do. There were more of those though since he were doing Luke's share as well as his own.

When Jesse had asked him if he wanted to go along and pick Luke up, Bo couldn't have moved any faster, and Jesse laughed at him when he came running.

Bo didn't care though, he wished that his uncle would drive faster.

Then he had been running again, to embrace Luke as he caught sight of him, nearly knocking him over.

The first few moments on the way home he had tried to tell Luke about everything that had happened, but since nothing really had happened, it wasn't really all that exciting. So instead he twisted around a bit so he could look at him.

"It was boring when ya was away." He stated.

"I bet." Luke smiled as he ruffled his hair.

Bo smiled at that as he went on. "I've missed ya."

* * *

Bo looked up as he thought he heard something, but it was nothing. Luke had gone with a girl, and left him all alone at home. All alone, it wasn't as if he was so small he was afraid to be home all alone. He was thirteen, big enough by far.

It was just that it was so very boring to sit home all alone in the evening. He had turned on the radio, and he had read some car magazines. Then as it grew late he turned off the radio, but he wanted to wait for Luke.

Jesse and Daisy was away, and they had never told Luke he had to stay home. They trusted booth of the boys to take care of themselves, and they kind of liked being trusted in that way.

Luke had still promised he wouldn't be too late, so that the two of them could have a night snack before going to bed. Partially to make it up to Bo that he had been left all alone, but also because he had known he would be hungry when he got back home.

Now he grinned as he saw Bo shooting to his feet the same time as the screen door slammed shut. "Hey there, had a great time?" He asked with a grin as Bo glared at him.

"Well, what do ya think?" Bo demanded.

"I think you are about bored out of your mind." Luke chuckled.

"Yeah." Bo nodded. "It was kinda boring here, I've missed ya."

* * *

Luke sighed as he looked over at the other bed, Bo was shifting uneasily in his sleep. The fever had gone down again, and then up once more in the night. The Doc still said there was no need for them to worry though. Not as long as the fever didn't get to high. He said that one of the reasons he was sick for so long was because he had been just worn out when he got sick.

Jesse had agreed, he claimed Bo had been so anxious about Luke getting back that it had plumb worn him down.

Luke wasn't sure he liked the sound of that. It sounded almost as if Bo had been worried about whatever Luke would really care about him anymore, it sounded as if he had been worried about that. It was just so easy to imagine how Bo felt about it. Seeing as how he felt much the same way.

Bo had done some growing when he was away, when he left the kid, he was still taller than him. Yet now it was the seventeen year old one that was the tallest one. It was a strange change to get used to. Especially since Bo was still so skinny Luke bet he could hide behind a flag pole, with room to spare.

Yet he had feared that now that he had been gone for so long Bo would have done another kind of growing. That he would have gotten so many friends that he didn't really need Luke for anything anymore.

It wasn't true, Bo was popular around the school, he found out about that fast enough. The girls loved him, and the boys liked him, but Bo still needed Luke as much as ever. Not only because he was sick either. He had been home for about two weeks before Bo got sick, and it was clear that they both needed each others just like before.

It had been very strange not having Bo around, he had taken him for granted for so long. To think that when Bo got to them, he had not really wanted him. He had been so used to being the only child in the house that he hadn't really wanted to share it with some other child. Having lost his parents himself he would never have begrudge the baby someone to take care of him.

He just didn't know whether he wanted a baby cousin or not.

His aunt and uncle had been right though, he couldn't really imagine life without Bo now, especially not after having had a taste of it.

He wished he could just make Bo better, all the plans they had made that was now on hold. All the fun they had been looking forward to, but it just had to wait. If he tried to get out of bed, Bo just kept falling over sideways. Most of all though, he just couldn't stand to see his cousin suffering in any way.

He glanced at the watch, it was about time to give Bo some of the medicine that the doctor had left him, and he had a treat for him as well.

He measured up a spoonful from the bottle into a cup and swirled it around with the spoon for a bit.

"Bo, time for the medicine." He said softly as he shook his shoulder gently. While he didn't like to wake him when he was sleeping, he was supposed to take the mixture regularly. "Come on Bo, wake up kiddo."

Bo stirred with a groan and Luke smiled as he tried to twist away, turning his head on the pillow, even while his hand fumbled around after Luke.

Luke took his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "It's time for you to take that medicine Bo." He smiled.

"Aw, Luke, feel bad enough already." Bo groaned. "Stuffs awful."

"yeah I know." The last time he took it he had nearly retched. So it wasn't just Bo who was whining, it really tasted that bad. "Ya have to though."

"Aw, Luke." Bo groaned, but when Luke put the cup to his lips he still drank, Luke found it flattering that his younger cousin trusted him that much. Then Bo blinked surprised as something registered even through the fever that had muddled his brain the last time.

"Wasn't so bad." He mumbled as he gave Luke a questioning look.

"That would be because there was more honey there than it was medicine." Luke grinned.

"Thanks." Bo gave him a look that was as grateful as it was sleepy.

"I thought it would make it easier for ya." Luke said as he smoothed out his hair.

"Did, thanks Luke." Bo mumbled his eyes drifted close again. "Luke." He mumbled sleepily.

"Yeah." Luke thought he might be need something more before he went fully asleep.

"Ya know when ya was away in the Marines."

"Yeah." Bo sounded as if he was pretty much talking in his sleep, and it made Luke smile.

"Ya know all that time, I've really missed ya."

The End

Thank you all for reading, I'll do my very best to reply to all signed reviews, Elenhin


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